The individual whose name means ‘The God of the South’ emerged as India’s key player at the SM Krishna Tennis Stadium in Bengaluru over the weekend, as Dhakshineswar Suresh led the Indian team to an impressive 3-2 victory in their Davis Cup 2026 Qualifier 1 match against the Netherlands.
As the 25-year-old collapsed onto the court, surrounded by his teammates, Dhakshineswar (or ‘DK’ as he prefers) contributed to all three points that secured India’s triumph, achieving two singles victories alongside a partnership with Yuki Bhambri in a lengthy doubles match that provided India a 2-1 advantage early on Sunday evening.
India was in need of a standout performer, and Dhakshineswar, holding an ATP ranking of 470, stepped up in only his second Davis Cup appearance. Although this ranking may be misleading (DK primarily competes on the college circuit, where he has achieved NCAA doubles #1 and singles #3), it did not diminish the significance of his accomplishment.
It had been since Leander Paes against Japan in 2004 that India witnessed a player compete in three matches within a Davis Cup tie and win all three. Standing at 6 feet 6 inches, Dhakshineswar’s powerful serve consistently unsettled the Netherlands throughout the contest. In the decisive singles match against Guy den Ouden, Dhakshineswar delivered 15 aces in a straight-sets victory. India is now one win against South Korea in South Korea away from qualifying for the eight-team Davis Cup finals tournament scheduled to take place in Italy later this year.
Moments from a historic victory for India on home ground as they triumphed over the Netherlands 3-2 in a thrilling match ������
Dhakshineswar Suresh defeats Guy Ouden 6-4, 7-6 (4) to propel his nation into the Qualifiers 2nd Round ��#DavisCup pic.twitter.com/8f5hhZ4KlD
– Davis Cup (@DavisCup) February 8, 2026
“He can’t see the ball,” chanted the Indian fans throughout the duration of that final match, mocking den Ouden’s struggle to effectively respond to Dhakshineswar’s serves. Their words may not have been mere exaggeration. Den Ouden appeared bewildered, much like world no. 88 Jesper de Jong had the previous night. Perhaps the Netherlands’ top two singles players, Tallon Griekspoor and Botic van de Zandschulp, could have performed better—but the Dutch team had deemed their second tier sufficient to defeat India. They quickly realized their miscalculation.
“He makes us feel mortal,” remarked Bhambri, referring to Dhakshineswar’s serve. Bhambri played a crucial supporting role in the doubles match, which India won in a third-set tiebreak that they dominated, thanks to some impressive groundstrokes from him. The “mortals,” as Bhambri described himself and his teammates, celebrated by carrying Dhakshineswar around the court, while a delighted Bengaluru crowd, which has embraced the towering player, serenaded him with songs. Sumit Nagal then took the microphone from the stadium announcer to exclaim, “DK Suresh, what a legend, what a player!” as joy filled the Indian camp.
It was a significant decision for captain Rohit Rajpal to make at the start of Day 2, as Sriram Balaji was initially nominated to partner Bhambri for the doubles match, but was replaced by Dhakshineswar. “It wasn’t a random decision,” Bhambri stated after the victory. The Indian team had prepared for a scenario where Dhakshineswar might need to play doubles, and he had even practiced with Bhambri leading up to the tie in Bengaluru. The fast courts at the SM Krishna Tennis Stadium complemented his playing style. India had a literal and metaphorical ace up their sleeve, wanting him on the court for as much of the tie as possible.
That support from Bhambri was all Dhakshineswar received on the court throughout the weekend. The stands were quite full, with fans cheering the team on through every point.
Following an impressive Davis Cup debut in the previous round against Switzerland that brought India to this stage, it was time for Dhakshineswar to shine once more.
He had to, as India’s singles no. 1 Sumit Nagal, who was dealing with a hip injury, lost both of his singles matches in the tie, first to den Ouden on Saturday and then to de Jong on Sunday. Both matches were three-set contests with significant momentum shifts, but Nagal fell short, leaving Dhakshineswar with the responsibility to perform.
And perform he did. Dhakshineswar kept India in contention first against world no. 88 Jesper de Jong, winning in straight sets, 6-4, 7-5, with a display of poise and composure. Then came the most challenging part of the tie: playing two matches in one day. It was a demanding task; consider this: after a three-hour doubles match, he had a three-hour break before returning to the court for a winner-takes-all singles match. Dhakshineswar stated he had only one focus: securing the tie for India.
And he succeeded. Three matches played. Three matches won. His serve remained unbroken throughout those three matches. Over the course of one weekend, Dhakshineswar Suresh became the new sensation of Indian tennis. He accomplished it largely on his own, with minimal assistance from Yuki Bhambri and a boisterous home crowd that occasionally bordered on rowdy.
In southern India, the ‘God of the South’ left his mark on this tie.
Source: espn.com
